Folding bed



June 13, 1939. A. G. GILSON 2,161,958

FOLDING BED Filed Sept. 28, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

A TTORNEY June 13, 1939 A56, GlLSON 2,161,958

FOLDING BED Filed Sept. 28, 193? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2Q 22 LP I66. 40 39 FIG.7.

Patented June 13, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDING BED Application September as, 1936, Serial No. 102,840

3 Claims.

My invention relates to a folding bed and more particularly to that form of bed which may be readily moved when in its folded or vertical position so that it may be conveniently stored in a closet or similar receptacle when not in use; My invention consists in improvements in the details of construction of such a bed and especially to the stabilizing means for supporting the bed frame and foot board whenthese parts are moved from vertical to horizontal position or vice versa.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one form of bed made in accordance with my invention Figure 1 is a side view showing the bed in horizontal position; Figure 2 is a side view showing the bed in vertical position; Figure 3 is a longitudinal section throughthe head part of the bed showing the parts in an intermediate position; Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 3- 1 of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a side view showing the parts in an intermediate position; Figure 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5; and Figure '7 is a section taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 6.

5 The numeral I0 designates the head board of the bed to which are secured the side frames supported on the usual casters I2. Carried by each of the frames I is an upper supporting bar l3 and a lower supporting bar It. Pivoted in bars l3 by means of trunnion i5 is the main or mattress frame It which is thus adapted to be swung from the horizontal position shown in Figure 1 to the vertical position shown in Figure 2. The foot board I1 is pivoted to the main frame I6 by means of two links l8 and I9, respectively,

to permit the foot board to be swung into parallel relation to frame 5 when the latter is moved into vertical position.

The stabilizer comprises a pair of levers 20 and 2| arranged at each side of the main frame and having their upper ends pivoted at points 22 and 23, respectively, to a bracket 24. The lower ends of levers 2|] and 2| are pivoted at points 25 and 25, respectively, to a stabilizer caster 21.

It is to be noted that pivot points 22, 23, 25 and 26 are so related that levers 20 and 2| are maintained in approximately parallel relation during the movement of the main frame from vertical to horizontal position and that caster 21 is held in vertical position during such movement so as to make proper contact with the floor. One of the levers 20 or 2|, preferably the latter, is connected by a cross bar 28 (Figures 5 and 6) with 55 the corresponding lever at the opposite side of the bed to insure the simultaneous movement of the two pairs of levers.

Pivoted to lever 2| at a point adjacent pivot 23 is a link 29 having at its inner end a short slot 36. This slot engages with a pin 3| in a 5 strut 32 pivoted at 33 to bar I3 and having an adjustable connection with bar I4. This connec tion may be provided by means of a bolt 34 passing through an arcuate slot 35 (Figure 3) in the strut and provided with locking nuts 36.

If the bed is placed on an uneven floor it may happen that not all the supports make contact therewith. In such case the nut 35 at one or both sides of the bed, as may be required, but usually only at one side, is loosened to permit 16 the strut 32 to be moved until an adjustment is obtained to secure proper contact, after which the nut or nuts is again tightened. In order that this adjustment may be made without disturbing the proper parallel position of parts Hi, Hi, and 20 I! when the bed is in raised position, lost motion must be introduced into the connection. Such lost motion is provided by the pin and slot connection 30, 3|. Secured to link 29 is a bracket 3! (Figure 6) through which passes a threaded 25 rod 38 attached to one end of a spring 39, the other end of which is attached to some part of the head structure, preferably to bolt 34. This spring functions to take up the lost motion and hold the caster 21 firmly against the floor and 30 its tension may be adjusted by means of a nut 40 on the threaded rod 38.

In this type of bed some type of counterbalance is necessary for the main frame. In Figure 3 I have shown one form of such counterbalance 35 consisting of springs 4| connected to a plate 42 extending between the side frames H and to a plate 43 carried by the main frame. While the foot board may be moved relative to the main frame manually, I prefer to secure automatic 40 movement of this part by means of a connecting rod 44 pivoted to link l9 and some part of the head structure such as bar I l.

The operation of my bed is briefly as follows:

7 When the bed is in horizontal position, as shown 5 in Figure 1, it is supported at the head by contact of the casters |2 with the floor and at the foot by contact of the legs of the foot board I! therewith. The frame I6 is stopped in horizontal position by engagement of the foot rail of 50 the frame with the upper edges of links |8 which are positioned on the inner sides of the frame side rails for this purpose. To placethe bed in folded or movable condition, frame I6 is grasped and swung into vertical position on its trunnions |5,

auxiliary support to prevent tipping of the bed which would be liable to occur if the limited base provided by casters l2 were depended upon alone.

In case the floor is uneven, it may be found 1 that the casters 21 do not properly contact the floor when the bed is in open position and pins 31 engage the inner ends of slots 30, as shown in Figure 5. In this case nuts'36 are loosened "and struts 32 adjusted to secure the desired condition. Due to unevenness of the floor, it may occur during the raising or lowering of frame l6 that one of the casters 21' must rise above or fall below therlevel of the other. This is permitted by the movement" of oneror the other of the pins 3| in its cooperating slot 30. 'It will be understood that while the two pairs of levers 20-2l are compelled w substantially simultaneous movement by thecross bar 28, this barwis capable of suflicient flexure 'to permit the necessaryrelative movement to compensate for unevenness of the floor. Springs 39 compensate for the lost motion of the pin and slot connections and prevent rattling, therein.

Having fully described ,myilinvention, what, I claim as new and desire to. secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: r r V a J 7 1.111 a device of the class describedfthe' combination with a head structure, of a mattress frame pivoted to said head structure to swing saidlevers being pivoted toa casterat the other end, a link pivoted to one of said levers and from vertical to horizontal position, a pair of levers pivotedto the mattress frame at one end,

provided with a slot, a strut pivoted to the head structure and carrying a pinengaging with the slot, and means for adjusting the strut'on its pivot; r a 2. In a device of the class described the combination with a head structure, of a mattress frame pivoted to said head structure to swing from vertical to horizontal position, a pair of levers pivoted to the mattress frame at one end, said levers being pivoted to a caster at the other end, the pivot points of said levers to the frame and caster having such relation that the levers are maintained in approximately parallel 'rela- 1 tion and the caster in approximately vertical position during the movement of 'the parts, a link pivoted to one of said levers and provided with a slot, a strut pivoted to the head structure and carrying a pin engaging with theslot, means for adjusting the strut on its pivot, and a spring interposed between the link and the head structure for'biasing the caster toward the floor.

3. Ina device of the class described, the combination with a head structure, of a mattress frame pivoted to said head structure tocswing from vertical to horizontal position, a pair of levers pivoted at one end to each side of the mat: tress frame, .each pair of said levers being pivoted at the other end tola caster, a bar forming a rigid connection between one lever of each .pair and the head structure, each of said bars ineluding a loose connection between the bar and head structure forming'a lost motion deviceto accommodate unevenness of a floor without adjustment of the connections, and a spring attached at one end to one of the connections and at the other to the head structure for taking up the lost motion in said loose connections.

A. G. GILSON. 

